Flexible refill tube mounting



April 2, 1957 R. H. ZINKIL FLEXIBLE REFILL TUBE MOUNTING Filed Feb. 21,1955 United States Patent FLEXIBLE REFILL TUBE MOUNTING Roy H. Zinkil,Oak Park, Ill., assignor to Crane Co., Chicago, Ill., a corporation ofIllinois Application February 21, 1955, Serial No. 489,393

2 Claims. (Cl. 4-57 This invention pertains generally to flush tanks forplumbing water closets 01- the like, and more particularly, it concernsmeans for supporting and mounting a flexible refill tube to an integraloverflow channel of the flush tank.

The present invention constitutes a modification of the constructioncovered in copending application Serial No. 333,444, filed January 27,1953 now United States Patent No. 2,743,459, granted May 1, 1956.

It is an object of the present invention to provide for securement ofthe flexible refill tube to the overflow means so as to preventobjectionable self-siphonage of tank water into the latter.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple, quick attachmentof the refill tube to the integral overflow for accomplishing the abovepurpose, the refill tube and connecting means being as easily andconveniently re moved. It is a further object to effect the said simpleconnection without the use of tools or need of special provisions of anykind in the tank.

It is still another object to provide positive placement of the refilltube relative to the integral overflow in the proper position to alsoinsure effective and eflicient tank performance.

Other objects and advantages Will become more readily apparent uponproceeding with the description read in light of the accompanyingdrawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary sectional assembly view with a water closetflush tank showing a preferred form of the present invention appliedthereto.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged section taken approximately on the line 22 in Fig.1.

Similar reference numerals refer to similar parts in the drawing.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the numeral 1 generallydesignates a flush tank for water closet or the like, shownfragmentarily, in which 2 is a supply valve or ball cock connected tothe top of the standpipe 3 and in turn connected to the water supply 4by means of the usual fluid tight connection generally indicated at S.

The said tank is provided with a preferably integral seat portion 3having an outlet opening or port 9 for discharge of the tank Watertherefrom into a water closet (not shown). Suitably attached to thefloor of the tank is a flapper type closure member 11 adapted to seatacross the top of the seat portion in the closed valve position shown.This member may be attached to the tank by means of a supporting post12. and the bolt 13 extending through the bottom or base wall of thewater closet 14 in close coupled relation as illustrated. The closuremember is provided with the usual flexible chain 15 fragmentarilyillustrated for actuation of the same by means of the usual valveactuator handle or lever, not shown.

The tank is also provided with an integral vertical overflow channel oroutlet means 17 in fluid communication with the lower outlet port 9 at19.

The present invention comprises generally means ex- "ice tending overthe rim or top edge of the overflow channel adapted to receive andsupport a specially formed retaining or holding element of wire or thelike which engages the discharge end of a rubber or other flexiblerefill tube 21 and in cooperation with the first named means supports orsecures the said refill tube in position relative to the overflowchannel to insure proper tank operation.

In a preferred form of the invention illustrated in the drawing, themeans extending over the edge of the overflow channel comprises a springclip member 23 constituting an inner straight leg 24, an outer curvedleg 25 joined at the top by a flattened portion 26. The curved leg 25 isoutwardly turned at the bottom at 27 to facilitate spreading of theinner and outer legs and passage of the -member over the top of theoverflow means down into the mounted position shown. The inner straightleg 24 extends down beyond the thickened rim at the top of the overflowmeans into engagement with the reduced portion therebelow, therebyretaining the clip member securely in mounted relation. At the junctionof the top and inner leg of this member in the preferred form isprovided a centrally disposed opening 29 of sufficient size forinsertion therethrough of a portion of the wire retaining element 31.The latter element comprises upper and lower loop portions 32 and 33,respectively, each having double loop formations forming inner and outerloops 34 and 35 and 36 and 37, respectively. The upper and lowerportions are joined by a straight arm section 38. It will be noted thatstraight outer legs 39 and 40 are provided in the upper and lowerportions, said legs extending in close proximity to the opposite sidesof the loops, near the top and bottom, respectively, forming in thepreferred form upper and lower clamps. The discharge end of the refilltube which, as stated, is preferably constructed of rubber or the like,as shown is received within the outer loop 35 of the upper loopedportion, being supported by the bottom of the loop and in this formfurther being resiliently gripped between the inner and outer legs ofthe loop to retain the same in the fully inserted position. It should beunderstood that the outer leg extends within the flexible refill tube asufficient distance to effect the support and gripping of the tube. Ifdesired, however, the wire element may extend within the refill tube aconsiderable distance above the looped portion to provide inner rigidityand support for the refill tube above the end portion thereof, or, asillustrated, the same may extend along the entire length of the refilltube for maximum support of the same over the curved portion. Theopposite end of the element in this instance is loosely received withinthe opening 42 of the ballcock 2 through which the water flows forfilling of the refill tube. The end of the refill tube 21 is connectedto the portion of the ball cock around the opening 42. The loosereception of the wire within this opening provides proper anchorage ofthis end while at the same time permitting the necessary flexibility tothe assembly for purposes of attachment of the refill tube to theoverflow tube or channel.

The outer leg of the lower looped portion of the wire element is adaptedto be inserted through the aperture of the clip member 23 for assemblyof the refill tube in position for tank operation as can be observedfrom the illustration, particularly Fig. 2. The wire element is limitedin its downward movement during attachment or in the course of operationby engagement or contact of the open edge of the opening 29 with the topof the outer loop of the lower portion 33 of the wire element whichlimitation in turn prevents movement of the discharge end of the refilltube below the position shown in the illustration, which at all times isabove the top of the overflow means 17. The latter spacing is of specialsignificance and is one of the principal purposes of the invention.

In the conventional ball cock employing copper tubing for "the refilltube, the same is generally pushed down within the overflow means by theplumber or home W WI- Thi nra tiqe ve r e19a sd r iphQaasea iQa of d aing 9 tankiwt -throu h h hush tube an refill tube, on intothe overfiowmeans, wherethe water in the t-ankj ises t asreat 'he s h n t ou l n hefil t b One th ast c i i t d. tw tinues preventing full closure of thesupply valve and besides causingsubstantial waste of water oftenattended y the undesired sound .of running water, results in damage ,tothe valve seatlin the form of what is termed wire drawing or erosion intime m aking it impossible to completely {shut off the valve and thusrequires replacement of parts. Even where th e lower limit of the refilltube .'extends .only'slightly within the upper opening of overflowchannel, thi'ssip'honage action can easily occur by theimproper-adjustment of the float rod or if the latter rodbeconiesaccidentally bent or distorted.

The refill tubestructure and the means of attachment to {the over'fl wof the present invention positively prevents self-snqhonage bypositioning the lowermost end of the refill "tube above the top of theoverflow when in illustrated clipped position thereon. Fixed positioningis therefore afforded in which the refill tube is preventedfromextendingbelow the top of the overflow tube, thus providing avertical air gap between the refill tube and the top of the overflow forthe prevention of the siphonage action under any condition of tankoperation. Thus, it becomes clear that the present invention comprises asimple and effective means of securing the refill tube to the integraloverflow inproper position to insure against self siphonage.

It should also be noted that although various provisions can be made, inthe preferred form illustrated the refill tube and the wire attachmentelement are attached to the spring clip member 23 by insertion of thelatter element through the relatively small aperture in the top cornerof the 'clip member to not only support the wire element and refill tubein the proper position, but also to afford positive securernent of thesame in this position and to the overflow channel to prevent detachmentor relativemovement therebetween. The refill tube is thus positivelypositioned on the integral overflow in such a way as to prevent anyslippage or removal therefrom and thus disturbthe desired relation ofthe refill tube to the overflow. Also important in the securernent andpositioning of the refill tube isthe gripping action that takes placebetween the wire element and member 2. When the wire elementvis insertedthrough the opening in the latter .member, the lower loop 3'7 is spreadapart to resiliently'engage the inner leg of the clip membertherebetween, the lower straight leg 40 of the wire element extendingdown between the clip member and inner surface of the ,overflow channeland in turn being tightly pressed against .the inner surface infrictional engagement .by the resilient clip member 23'for relativelyimmovable ,or fixed positioning of the wire element and clamped refill.tube. It is also significant from a stand point of reduction of waternoise that the open end of the refill tube discharges at a point onlyslightly above the open top of the overflow channel. Preferably, theoverflow tube should be disposed so as to direct the flow against theinside surface of the wall of the overflow means forrnore completeassurance of the elimination of water noises.

In assembly of the refill tube according to the present invention, the.spring clip member 23 is simply inserted over the topof the overflowchannel preferably on the front side thereof shown in Fig. l and pusheddown into abutting contact with the top of the overflow means afterwhich ,the wire element, which has been inserted within the lower end ofthe refill tube, whether in the form shown extending along the entirelength of the refill tube or only a portion thereof, is inserted in the2,787,005 V c. a

opening of the clip member and pushed down firmly into gripped relation.Thus, a simple means of predetermined positioning and effecting aconnection to the overflow channel is provided which does not requirethe use of any tools or modification of or special provisions in theflush tank. The refill tube may be just as easily detached if desiredand the clip member 23 removed.

It should thus be evident that a novel and easily applied .refill tubeattachment is provided which positively positionsthe vrefill tube withrespect to the overflow means and prevents any change of'objectionableback siphonage.

Inasmuch .as the invention is subject to certain-variations andmodifications, it is not desired to limit the same to the form abovedescribed and illustrated, but rather by the language of the appendedclaims liberally construed within the underlying spirit of theinvention.

I claim: a

1. lma flush tank for water closets or the like having integral overflown eans and a supply valve, a flexible refill tube extending from saidsupply valve, means attac'hing the outlet end of said refill tube tosaid overflow means for fluid discharge ,thereinto, sa-id attachingmeans comprisingjaresilient member extending over the upper edgeof saidoverflow means and engaging the inner andouter surfaces thereof ingripping relation, said resilient member havingan exposed edge portion,an ele ment formed into upwardly and downwardly opening loops disposedso that the upwardly opening loop receives the outlet edge portion ofthe .refill tube and the downwardly opening loop-receives the exposededge portion ,of the said ;resilient member, the outlet edge of therefill tube and the top of the exposed edge portionof the said resilientmember being abuttable with the inside lower and upper limits of theupwardly and downwardly opening loopsrespectively, thevertical spacingofthe top of said exposed edge portionof the resilient member relativeto the inside abuttable surface of the upwardly opening loop of theresilient element and to the upper edge of said'overflow means being ofsuch values that the outlet edge of the refill tube is at a higher levelthan the upper edgeof the overflowmeans when the abuttable surface ofthe downwardly opening loop is in contact with the top of the exposededge portion of the resilient member. 7

2. In a flush tank for water closets or the like having integraloverflow means and a supply valve, a refill tube of flexible materialsuch as rubber extending from said supply valve, means attaching theoutlet end of said refill tube to said overflow means for fluiddischarge thereinto, said attaching means comprising a resilientmemberextending over the upper edge of said overflow meansandengagingthe inner and outer surfaces thereof in frictional grippingrelation, said resilient member having an opening therethrough at thejuncture of the portionextending over the upper edge of said overflowmeans and that portion engaging the inner surface of the overflow means,said attaching means including a formed element of resilient materialextending within the refill tube through the open discharge end thereof,said formed elementbeingof substantially double S formation and disposedso that the first part of the first S-portion and second-part of thesecond S-portion receive the'outlet edge portionof the refill tubeandredge portion of :the resilient-member beyond the said openingtowards thelower end of the portion of the member engaging the innersurface of overflow means respectively within the openings of thesaiddouble formation, the outlet edgeof the refill'tube and top of the edgeportion of the resilient member being abuttable-with the inside of saidfirst part of the first S portion and second part of the second S: p ortion respectively, said element of double S ormation b in form so tha hinsi ttable surface of the first part of theyfirst sr p ortion is on ahigher level than the inside abuttahle surfaceiof the second .part

of the second S-portion whereby to limit the outlet edge of the refilltube to a predetermined spacing above the top edge of the overflowmeans, the portion of said element of double S formation below theinside abuttable surface of the second part of the second S-portion andbeyond the first part of the second S-portion being insertable throughthe said opening in the resilient member for the reception of the edgeportion of the resilient member Within the second part of the secondS-port-ion, the first part of the first S-portion and second part of thesecond S-portion being adapted to frietionally engage a portion of thewall of the refill tube beyond the outlet edge thereof and the portionof the resilient member References Cited in the file of this patentUNITED STATES PATENTS 2,183,677 Heath Dec. 19, 1939 2,341,116 Owens Feb.8, 1944 2,640,502 Powers June 2, 1953

